- Casertavecchia
Casertavecchia, a
frazione ofCaserta , is an Italianmedieval village that lies at the foot of theTifatini Mountains located 10 km north-east of the City of Caserta at an altitude of approximately 401 meters. Its name translated from Italian means "Old Caserta."History
The origins of Casertavecchia are uncertain, but according to the Benedictine monk,
Erchempert , in "Ystoriola Langobardorum Beneventi degentium," the village was founded in 861 AD. The previous Roman town was called "Casam Irtam" (from the Latin "casam" meaning "home village" and "irtam" which means "sent above").The village was initially conquered and ruled by the Lombards. Subsequent Saracen depredations led to the fortified mountain village becoming the
Bishopric for the province.Under Norman domination, the village began the construction of its cathedral, dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel. During this period it was controlled by the
Swabian , Riccardo di Lauro (1232-1266), who increased the political power of the town.The Aragons conquered the village in 1442 which began its long and gradual decline in importance. Eventually, Casertavecchia would host only the local seminary and the Bishop's seat. Under the rule of the
Bourbons , major construction began taking place in the city ofCaserta . By 1842 political rule had entirely moved to the great palace in the larger city, with the Casertan diocese finally relocating from Casertavecchia to Caserta.Present
Today, the village is primarily a tourist destination. Sites worth visiting consist of the church, its bell tower, and the remains of the original castle. Visitors can dine in local
pizzerias with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.ources
* [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/erchempert.html "Historia Langabardorvm Beneventarnorvm" at The Latin Library]
* [http://www.oeaw.ac.at/gema/erchempert.htm "Historia Langobardorum Beneventanorum" at the Institut für Mittelalter Forschung]
* [http://www.cesn.it/Cronisti/testi/Erchemperto.doc "Ystoriola Langobardorum Beneventi degentium" from the Monumenta Germaniae Historica]
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